Collide
by BleachLover31
Summary: One-shot, AU. Levy's actions on their job have devastated Gajeel. He can't make anything better. He doesn't have the chance to.


**A/N: I was feeling angsty so here is an angsty one-shot. I may have teared up a bit writing this. As the title suggests, I was listening to the song Collide (acoustic version) by Howie Day and that became my inspiration to write this so you may want to listen to the song at some point before, after, or while reading this. I hope you enjoy (?) and tell me what you think :) R&R**

**I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters**

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Sunlight began to shine in through the window as the sun peeked over the horizon, landing on two figures; one in a hospital bed and the other sitting next to the bed. The machines beeped steadily with the rise and fall of the chest of a small woman with blue hair. Her eyes were closed in an induced sleep and the machine next to her pushed air in and out of her lungs through the tube put down her throat.

The large, unruly-haired man sitting next to her watched her with concern as he had been for days on end. It was obvious he did not sleep often; the large bags under his eyes were enough to tell that. His arm was stretched out and sore, but his hand never untangled itself from the woman's. He knew that it probably didn't make a difference, that she wouldn't feel his hand there, and that she could not respond even if she did, but it made him feel better. It made him feel…connected to her in some way still; like he could somehow continue to protect her even when he knew he couldn't do a single thing.

He gazed down at her face as her often did. She seemed so peaceful, even with a tube down her throat. Everything in her face was relaxed as if she was in a deep sleep, which he supposed, she was. Looking at her face made him think of all the expressions he had caused to be there; Fear, Hatred, Pity, Anger, Annoyance, Endearment….Love, Happiness.

Her smile was his favorite; with only a laugh and a quirk of her lip she could brighten a room. When she grinned it was blinding…in a good way. He wished she would smile again. Everything in the room needed a little brightening that only she could bring.

Most of his days were spent like this; by her bedside, one meal a day, talking to no one, reliving the past. Other people would often come into the room to try and talk to him or to visit her but he never heard them. They would talk and he knew they were there, but it would never get through to him. He didn't really want it to.

Every day, inside of his head, he relived what had happened; the team, the job, and especially _that moment_. It had been a surprise shot from behind him that he did not register fast enough to block against, but she did. She took the blow that should've hit him. It would have been better off if had hit him. She dropped to the ground in a heap at his feet as he finally turned around. Everything happened so quickly after that; he took down the attacker and knelt down next to her. He yelled at her, frustrated with himself more than anyone. He wanted to know why. Why did she do that for him? Why after everything that he had done? Why did she deserve this and not him?

In the midst of his yelling at her, she smiled; a faint lift of the lip, but a smile nonetheless, "Because I love you." He fell silent after that as another teammate picked her up and raced her back to get help at top speed.

She had been in an induced coma and had been on life support for weeks now. The magic she was hit with had done so much damage that it would be a miracle if she woke up. He didn't believe in miracles, as much as he wanted to. He couldn't hold onto a false hope like that. However, out of everything, the one thing he hated the most was that he would never have the chance to say it back to her and know that she had heard it. The entire time he had known her, she never had complete confidence in herself for one thing or another. He knew that when she had told him those words she was probably full of doubt. Doubt that he would ever say them back to her. But now, no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't get rid of that doubt.

He wasn't used to her being as quiet as she always was now; the beeps did nothing to fill the silence that she had left. She always knew what to say to cheer somebody up who needed it. He had always been the brooding type, never really speaking unless directly spoken to, but she was different. She was quiet only when reading her books or doing work. Around people she was fun, loud, and even boisterous sometimes, but above all she was always kind. He hadn't met a single person who outright disliked her. He always thought it was crazy that she used to always hang out with him when there had been other, more fun people to be around.

He hadn't left the room just about since she came here. He stayed by her side during the day and all through the night. Sometimes at night, he would open the window and start to point at the stars she had taught him to find once. They just didn't seem to shine as brightly as they used to anymore.

He could admit it to himself. He was being pathetic. He was supposed to be one of the strongest in the guild, but here he was worn out by the bedside of the woman he couldn't just let be alone. It was laughable. At this rate he'd be in a hospital bed right next to her, but he really didn't care. He _should _be in a hospital bed, and she should not.

Squeezing her hand a bit and bringing himself out of his thoughts he stood up from his seat, his legs aching. Still not releasing hold of the much smaller hand he cleared his throat. "No matter what you may think of yourself, you're the strongest person I know, and I do too…I love you too, Shorty" He still couldn't bring himself to say her name aloud, but he always said her nicknames with endearment. He gently pressed a kiss onto her forehead and tousled her blue hair a bit.

It was a couple of months afterward that the beeping ceased and a monotonous, high-pitch tone filled the room where the sleeping woman was finally resting.

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**Okay so those of you who follow my other story Fancied Love, Hopeless Insanity, I will try to get the next chapter done this weekend but if I do not it'll almost definitely be done sometime during the week. Hopefully this will sustain you guys for a bit :)**

**Oh and sorry if this was a bit cheesy but I was into the song so I rolled with it.**


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